You met then-Prince Abdullah bin own feet and walk away from the effects example, the Syrian refugee crisis Al Hussein of Jordan, your future of poverty. Sixty per cent of the Arab has morphed into a humanitarian husband, at a dinner party – and world’s population is under the age of 25. disaster with serious implications we were married six months later. This statistic is often referred to as a cannot ignore; Jordan has received To many people this sounds like “demographic gift”, but with a quarter around 1.3 million Syrian refugees a fairytale – is that how you see it? of them unemployed – and that’s double since the beginning of the crisis. We met at a dinner with mutual friends the global average – if it’s a gift for One out of every seven citizens is of ours, back in early 1993. He had such anyone, it’s for the extremists who want a Syrian refugee in my country. a great smile and such infectious to prey on and manipulate the hopeless. You’ve spoken very frankly in energy, we got on really well. And the Now, more than ever, the classroom has the past about the Syrian refugee rest, as they say, is history! So, how become our first line of defence against crisis and Islamophobia. What I met my husband and life partner, extremist ideology. I’m sure Australia do you wish to say to Stellar His Majesty King Abdullah II, may can relate as it is no stranger to the readers about those issues? “ BEING A sound like a fairytale, but being a recruitment of foreign fighters by radical The Syrian refugee crisis and queen is a job like any other. It has groups in the Middle East and North Islamophobia are different issues, nothing to do with crowns, carriages Africa, and has put commendable but I think they are definitely related or castles. I made a commitment to the measures in place to fight this in that, faced with the largest people of Jordan to serve them to phenomenon at home. You cannot kill humanitarian crisis and case of mass the best of my ability, and I try to live an ideology with a bullet. Education is displacement of our time, many have QUEEN up to that commitment every day. an investment we make in our people resorted to fear and Islamophobia In 1999 your husband became instead of empathy and compassion. IS A JOB the King of Jordan and, aged just “I believe there is no Sadly, the word refugee today has 28, you became the Queen. How become so politicised and the narrative did you manage that transition? contradiction between so polarised, it’s been stripped of all LIKE ANY That was obviously a defining moment Islam and progress its tragedy and the human suffering in my life. On the one hand, we were and sorrow it carries. It is heartbreaking coming to terms with the enormity or modernity” to see something so fundamentally OTHER” of losing King Hussein; humanitarian transformed an inspirational leader into something political, and and peacemaker. And at THE ROYAL FAMILY (from left) exploited to garner popularity the same time, we were Prince Hashem, Princess Iman, King and votes. At the core of the HER MAJESTY dealing with the enormous Abdullah II, Queen Rania, Princess refugee crisis are human beings responsibility we had just Salma and Prince Hussein. who have lost everything QUEEN RANIA been handed – effective through no fault of their own. AL ABDULLAH OF immediately. And I wasn’t You have asserted that expecting that at the age of there is “nothing Islamic” JORDAN SPEAKS 28. From being responsible for about ISIS and spoken my own children at the time of the danger in allowing EXCLUSIVELY (a handful in itself!), I found the group to identify or TO STELLAR myself sharing responsibility correlate its violence for the nation’s children, too. with Islam. Interview by HANNAH JAMES I was awed, scared, humbled Yes, I have said it many and hopeful. All I knew for times and I’ll say it again: sure at that moment was that these extremist groups have life would never be quite the hijacked Islam to further he’s a mother of four, same. There isn’t exactly a their own heinous and violent a children’s book author, a manual to doing the queen agenda. They have nothing to former employee of Citibank thing right. But with time, and to protect them from exploitation and do with my religion, which teaches and Apple in Amman – and with His Majesty’s support, I tried falling vulnerable to recruitment. A tolerance, compassion, forgiveness Queen of Jordan. Her Majesty to do my best for my country and its huge factor in the future of this war and peace. A recent study showed that SQueen Rania Al Abdullah, 46 – who, like people. Slipping into that role was against extremist ideology is our more than 70 per cent of Daesh recruits the Duchess of Cambridge, has her an extraordinary privilege. narrative, and we need to employ had only basic knowledge of Islam, and every sartorial step breathlessly You are known for your quality education to offer a counter- that many were ordering The Koran chronicled in the international media philanthropy. Which causes are narrative, as well as promise and for Dummies and Islam for Dummies – uses her profile and social-media particularly close to your heart? opportunities, in order to quash the books before joining. Unfortunately, following (yes, the Queen of Jordan has Education and community evil forces that are trying to drag today, perceptions of Muslims and her own YouTube channel: Queen Rania) empowerment have always been top the whole world behind. Islam are almost exclusively based on to shine a light on social causes and priorities because without them, How do you sift through the many the actions of these extremist groups issues, ranging from Islamophobia a society cannot progress or develop worthy causes that are competing who have exploited our faith to divide to immigration. an immunity to threats. Educating for your attention? us. Their violence has triggered a global In her first interview with an people and giving them the tools to I think context is a big part of this wave of Islamophobia based on skewed Australian publication, Queen Rania empower themselves is our best bet at decision-making process: asking perceptions of Muslims and Islam. tells Stellar about the role of a thoroughly meeting the challenges we face today. myself what is most urgent, and most Ironically, this is exactly what they modern royal in a changing world. It allows the poor to stand on their needed, in this time and place. For want: for the world to marginalise 12 stellar 13 Muslims and for these Muslims to the voiceless. It has helped make moment with their children count You recently released an official fall vulnerable to their recruitment us better listeners, who are more because they grow up so fast! portrait and photo diary to mark campaigns. That’s why we Muslims emphatic, more tolerant and more You’ve been married for 23 your 46th birthday. What do you face the tremendous responsibility aware of the millions of tales around years. What’s the biggest lesson think of selfies? of reclaiming our faith from these us. But it is equally volatile with a dark marriage has taught you? I’m not a big fan, but I must admit I’ve outlaws. As Muslims, we have to side. The fight we have on our hands It taught me that there is no greater made a few exceptions. Most recently, win the moral narrative; we need to in the Middle East is as much over support system than a strong partnership I took one with student-teachers at the work harder at revealing extremists’ narrative as it is over territory. And and family. The world sometimes throws launch of [the Queen Rania] Teacher falsehoods for what they are, and unfortunately, Daesh has successfully unexpected hurdles your way, and the Academy’s new professional training destroy their moral and religious managed to use social media in this unconditional love and support that program. I’m a big fan of teachers and legitimacy to their potential recruits. fight to propagate their radical beliefs. family offers is what keeps you going. their crucial role in a society’s progress, There are still many stereotypes We must take back the power to His Majesty is my truest friend, my so if I was going to make an exception about the Middle East held by “I hope when I give define who we are. Moderates must confidant, my role model… I feel truly regarding selfies, I think it makes sense Westerners. What would you say use social media to tell a different story, blessed and grateful for him every day. that I made it for them! to people who believe Muslim a speech about an issue QUEEN OF HEARTS Her Majesty to show the world that there is more to With the relentless focus on the You were named the most beautiful women are oppressed? I care about, what I takes a selfie at the Queen Rania the Arab world than the extremists Duchess of Cambridge’s outfits, the consort (queen by marriage) in the Let me clarify the false association Teaching Academy; (left) meeting would have them believe. spotlight on royal fashion has never world. How did that make you feel? between Islam and the oppression say matters more than a resident of Al Koum Ahmar You are also a mother to four been brighter.